Port Solent sailing firm Sunsail welcomes first two yachts to its new fleet

The £3.75m investment will see 15 new Sunsail 41.0 yachts join the existing fleet - which has seven boats - with a further 10 yachts arriving next year.

Based at Port Solent, the new fleet will be available for corporate events and charters along the south coast, including in Portsmouth, Southampton, Cowes and Lymington.

They will be available for use by families who are looking for a different kind of break or day out, who can choose the firm’s new flotilla holidays, as well as racing, which is popular among businesses who use this option for team-building exercises.

An official naming ceremony took place on Tuesday, March 3, with Opihr gin being poured over the bows of the first two boats, named The Magenta Project and Breathe Oceanic - after the sponsoring charities that each of them will support.

At the event it was also announced that Hyde Sails and Southampton Sailing Week will join Raymarine, The Yachtmarket.com, Opihr Gin and the BVI Tourist Board as sponsors.

Nigel Grogan, the owner of Hyde Sails said: ‘The team and I are absolutely thrilled to be making the sails for the new fleet.

‘We hope that the Hyde Sails sponsored boat will be thoroughly enjoyed by a lot of Sunsail customers this summer and beyond.’

Simon Boulding, Sunsail events director, said: ‘We are overjoyed to welcome these stunning new yachts to the Sunsail UK fleet and are delighted to be welcoming Hyde Sails and Southampton Sailing Week to the Sunsail family. We hope our customers enjoy chartering these fantastic yachts, with sailing experiences that are fun, exciting and safe. The new fleet combines comfort and luxury and is unrivalled by any other charter fleet in the UK.’

The launch event saw seasoned sailors - including former English rugby player Ollie Phillips, who is a Sunsail ambassador - take to the Solent to trial two new yachts.